Celebrating Black Visionaries This February and Beyond

Celebrating Black History Month in February and beyond, we are spotlighting the Black visionaries shaping our world. Join us in celebrating community and culture with our customers, partners, employees and Black-owned or -founded brands as we continue our work towards a more equitable retail and fashion industry.

"Black History Month is a time to celebrate the contributions of the Black community with our customers, employees, and partners. At Nordstrom, we're thrilled to serve as a platform for emerging brands year-round, and we are passionate about offering our customers new products and experiences that will leave them feeling empowered and inspired," said Colleen Mitchell, head of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at Nordstrom.

Chef Lauren Von Der Pool Serves Up Sunday Dinner and Vegan Dishes All Month Long at Nordstrom
We have teamed up with the Queen of Green, Chef Lauren Von Der Pool, to spotlight recipes she's created in celebration of Black History Month. 

Meet Chef Lauren
Lauren Von Der Pool's culinary journey is rooted in a story of resilience and a commitment to positive change. Food has always been a fundamental part of Lauren's upbringing with a Guyanese grandmother and aunt who were avid cooks, as well as a South American family background. 

Growing up in Washington, D.C., Lauren faced adversity early on, driving her determination to transform herself and her community locally and globally. Witnessing the profound impact of unhealthy food on her community, Lauren found inspiration to make a difference through her raw vegan recipes. She took her first steps as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, selling raw vegan pies outside Howard University. 

A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Lauren has worked alongside culinary luminaries like Marcus Samuelsson and Wolfgang Puck, curated high-profile events such as the Oscars and the Met Gala, while also serving as a personal chef for icons like Stevie Wonder, Common, and Venus and Serena Williams. In 2009, former First Lady Michelle Obama recognized Lauren's commitment, inviting her to contribute to the obesity prevention campaign "Let's Move."

Try Chef Lauren's Creations at Your Local Nordstrom
Stop by your local Nordstrom during the month of February to try the Queen of Green's Chickie Noodle Soup available at all restaurants and Cajun Pasta Salad at all specialty coffee bars. Both dishes are made with a special Barilla® Love heart-shaped pasta.

We are also introducing our new Sunday Dinner series this year, where customers are invited to purchase tickets for a curated dining experience with our featured chefs. Customers will have the opportunity to enjoy a four-course meal prepared by Chef Lauren at two Sunday Dinner events: February 4 at Nordstrom Century City and February 18 at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. Tickets are available for purchase at https://nordstromrsvp.com/sundaydinner.

Nordstrom Launches New Pop-Up Shop in LA and NYC, Celebrating Black-Owned Brands

 

Nordstrom has long believed in the value that diversity brings to our company and our communities. We are excited to launch our latest pop-up shop at two locations– Nordstrom Century City and Nordstrom NYC Flagship. You can shop brands you know and love as well as discover emerging and new-to-Nordstrom brands thoughtfully curated in partnership with the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

Brands in the shop include but are not limited to:

 

This pop-up is just one of the ways we are building a community of diverse voices and brands. Read more about brands on our radar on our editorial platform The Thread. You can also shop our assortment of Black-owned or -founded brands like Pat McGrath Labs; Love, Vera; Wales Bonner; Daily Paper; SPGBK; Good American, and more year-round on our digital hub.

Learn more at Nordstrom.com/diversity.